Amos Beede loved his friends and family intensely, was fiercely loyal and he worked constantly to make the community around him a better place during his lifetime, loved ones recalled on Wednesday.

About 40 to 50 people gathered at Perkins Pier to remember Beede, who was attacked at a homeless encampment in Burlington on May 22. Beede, 38, of Milton died from his injuries six days later. The memorial service Wednesday was organized by the Pride Center of Vermont and Beede's family.

"His ideas mattered, his life mattered, he mattered," a statement written by B.J. Farman said. The statement was read by another person during the memorial service. Farman was one of Beede's mentors.

Farman knew Beede for three to five years, she said after the ceremony. Farman remembered Beede as a passionate, intelligent and compassionate friend.

"We lucky many knew how dedicated he was to making a difference, to helping others, and to rebuilding the systems he felt could and should and must change for the better," Farman wrote in her statement. "He devised surveys to give to incarcerated women transitioning out of jail and back into the communities. He envisioned new nonprofit models where folks suffering with mental health issues could seek and receive services that allowed them to keep their humanity and empower them to greater health and well-being."

She added, "If I could promise Amos one thing, it would be that we will carry on your purpose, to shape this community into one that our best selves deserve."

Beede's sister Ina McKinney and mother Barbara Beede also attended the service and spoke to the crowd to thank memorial service attendees for coming. Barbara Beede held a blue box with her son's ashes. Both almost immediately became overcome with emotion and sat down to listen to other speakers.

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Members of the family of homicide victim Amos Beede arrive at a memorial service held for the man Wednesday at Perkins Pier. From left, Ina McKinney, Beede's sister, and Barbara Beede, his mother, are pictured with a third unnamed person.(Photo11: ELIZABETH MURRAY/FREE PRESS)

Before the memorial service began, McKinney and Barbara Beede spoke to the media, saying they were amazed by the number of people who came out to remember their brother and son. They said they are both distraught over Amos Beede's death and are searching for answers.

Four suspects were arrested last Thursday in California after a nationwide manhunt. Erik Averill, 21, Myia Barber, 22, Allison Gee, 25, and Jordan Paul, 21, all of Vermont were apprehended on San Diego's Dog Beach.

"It's just not fair," McKinney said. She later added, "We've had a lot of stress and a lot of questions ... It looks like the answers we're getting still do not justify such a horrible crime that they committed. There's no reason for it whatsoever."

Mayor Miro Weinberger, several members of the Howard Center's Street Outreach Team, and a few members of the law enforcement community also attended the memorial service. Weinberger spoke during the ceremony, saying he didn't know Amos Beede but was moved by the number of people who knew and loved the man.

"What comes through in every conversation I've had, every testimonial that I've seen is just the enormous generosity and kindness that Amos showed to so many," Weinberger said. "That is so clear that that is who he was. It makes the tragedy, the horrible event that happened not far from here, all the harder to understand, all the more confusing."

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People at the Pride Center of Vermont in Burlington hold a portrait of Amos Beede on May 31. Beede died at the hospital a week after being beaten May 22, 2016.(Photo11: GLENN RUSSELL/FREE PRESS FILE)

Weinberger said he hoped justice would be done and it would bring "some measure of closure and resolution."

"Clearly there is much more that needs to be done in this city, in this community, on a whole range of issues," Weinberger added.

Burlington police have said they believe the four residents of the homeless camps attacked Beede after the Milton resident dumped bottles of urine on Averill's tent. Beede did not live in the encampment but sometimes stayed with friends who lived there, police said.

The man's death has rocked the community, including the LGBT community since Beede was a transgender man and the incident was initially being investigated as a "possible bias incident."

A friend of Beede's set up an online fundraiser on GoFundMe to collect money to pay for Beede's funeral. Leftover money will be donated to community organizations in Beede's name. As of Wednesday at 8:15 p.m., the fundraiser has collected $1,580 of a $2,000 goal.

This story was first published on June 8, 2016. Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia,com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LizMurraySMC.